Welcome to Pakistan
By: Fatima Sajid
Staff Writer
On the first of August 2014, we landed in Karachi, Pakistan. As it was Ramadan, we were fasting. August is quite a hot month in Karachi. It was extremely hot that day and I felt it! Due to Eid and vacation, it was a big mess at the Jinnah International Airport. We had to stand for two hours for our luggage to arrive on the conveyor belts. I was sweating badly, and the one conveyor belt created an airport rush. “Out of all days, mom, why does this day of fasting have to come on the hottest day ever?’’ The Airport A.C. was not working because of load shedding in Pakistan. It was a routine issue since, in the summer, electricity comes around every hour. People use U.P.S batteries and generators, which operate fans and lights.
Finally, when we received our luggage, I thought that this was the end of today’s experiences, but I was wrong. One of our bags was left at the Riyadh airport. Many other passengers were facing the same situation, so we were not alone. My mom stood in another queue to report the missing baggage, which took another hour.
It was about 8 A.M. when we finally stepped out of the airport. My uncle and cousins were there to pick us up. My uncle exclaimed, “You won’t believe this but the city has been without electricity for one day!’’ As I heard this, I was about to cry. I was tired and wanted to sleep immediately. But, in this situation, while fasting, and without electricity, sleep was impossible.
When we reached home, we waited and prayed for the electricity. Minute by minute, hour by hour, time flew. No electricity.
It became two in the afternoon. I was almost awake for 24 hours, because I had slept only for an hour in the plane. I slept like a fainted person at my grandfather’s house. Near 6:00 I woke up to break the fast. It was around 7:00 at night, when the electricity finally came back.
That day of fasting without electricity was one of the hardest days of my life!!!